Al-Si-Mn alloy coating on aluminum substrate using cold metal transfer (CMT) welding technique

The cold metal transfer (CMT) process was explored as a weld overlay technique for synthesizing Al-Si-Mn alloy coating on a commercially pure Al plate. The effect of welding speed on the bead geometry, deposition rate, and the dilution were studied and the best parameter was used to synthesize the coatings. The CMT process can be used to produce thick coatings (>2.5 mm) without porosity and with low dilution levels. The Vickers hardness number of the Al substrate increased from 28 in the bulk to 57 in the coating. It is suggested that the CMT process can be an effective and energy-efficient technique for depositing thick coatings and is useful in weld repair of aluminum alloy components. © 2014 The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society.